The Affair
by Mazzie May
Summary: After Kuja's death, before Zidane returns. Somthing horrid comes to Garnet's attention and Beatrix is forced to recall a time long since past. Kplus, R&R please
1. At First Glance

**Author's Note: Just takin' a break from Resident Evil**

**Summary: ****Somthing horrid comes to Garnet's attention and Beatrix is forced to recall a time long since past**

**Rating: Kplus**

**

* * *

**

**The Affair **

Chapter One: At First Glance

_By: Mazzie May_

Garnet's eyes widened as she flipped another page of the book she held close. Beatrix raised her brow, but returned to shifting through drawers. Steiner continued to watch her face, but remained in front of the door, sword-in-sheath held out in front of him, his hands on the hilt.

They were in one of the older towers, way off from the main castle halls, a place few visited. Even the maids and cleaning servants hadn't touched the room in years. It had obviously once been a guest room for nobles, but far distance of a walk it was to the central grounds probably caused its lack of use.

They only reason they were there to begin with was, whilst cleaning out the Queen's Chamber, they found a note, written by the King himself, saying where he placed his will. The Queen had always claimed that he never wrote one, his death so sudden. All knew it was lies, but kept it to themselves.

And a marvelous place to hide a will, too! It was a lovely room. The curtains and canopy were a light blue colour. The sheets and pillows and carpet and wall drapes were white. Well, they _were _white, but now had a bit of a grayer-yellowy tone from all the time spent unwashed. What Garnet had loved the most about it was how small it was. There was a tiny set of stairs leading up a large bed, but that was it. Very appealing. To her, at least.

Beatrix had led the way. Never even asked for the directions after Steiner told her that it was "the" room. She'd made this trek many times over years before, but after the King's death she hadn't imagined that she'd return here.

Oh, if the walls could speak! The scandalous stories they could tell, rumors they could confirm, memories they could recall, and Beatrix was more than thankful that the old stone walls and their bricks would never make mouths.

"Oh...!" Beatrix turned around to face her newly crowned queen and Steiner moved a bit forward from the stairs. Garnet was looking a mixture of horrified and disbelieved. She reread the page once, twice, three times before looking up at Beatrix with something near anger in her eyes.

Her single eye widened as realization crashed upon her. Steiner tensed behind her.

_Oh, Ramah, no! _Garnet had found the King's journal. The one he wrote about _her_ in, and she knew that because he'd told her he wrote about her. _Ye Gods…! I thought that thing had gotten destroyed._

Garnet closed the book slowly, never removing her eyes from her mother's former personal guard. "I want to know."

"Highness, I –" Steiner began, but Beatrix waved him off. He sighed irritably and turned away, glaring angrily up at wall tapestry with the royal insignia on it. Beatrix leaned up against the side of one of the four bedposts.

"What is it you want to know?"

"Everything" Garnet snapped, adjusting her position on the floor to look at someone she thought she knew. "I want to know everything."

Beatrix took a small breath and let it out slowly. "Let's start with what you know-"

"You had an affair with my father!"

Beatrix winced as Steiner scoffed from below. She flipped her curls behind her shoulder. "Yes… King Jarius and I shared a relationship."

"A _relationship_" Garnet boomed, sitting up fully on her knees, the book sliding from her lap. "A _relationship_? You, you… unpainted whore! You devious she-devil!" Beatrix tossed her again, Steiner simply grimaced. "And to think," Garnet bellowed on, "that my father be so weak and be tempted so! What a scoundrel, a shark, a –"

The slap that cut Queen Garnet til Alexandrious the XXIII off echoed in the small chamber. Beatrix's hand was still in the air, she was breathing slightly heavily, speaking, no, _seething_ through her teeth. "Say about me what ever you wish, Highness. But I will not hear an ill word of King Jarius." Garnet held her reddened check, slack jawed in shock. Steiner looked uncomfortable with letting his dear Queen be physically harmed, even if she was out of line. But, she had been badmouthing his King…

Garnet closed her mouth and dropped her hand, breathing heavily through her nose, nostrils flaring with each intake. "Fine," she hissed. "Justify all of this." She gestured to the book.

Beatrix dropped her hand and retreated back to the bedpost. "It wasn't just a collection of one-night-stands. There were real emotions there, that took years to build." She stared near wistfully out the out the open window. The breeze darted in blowing her hair back-

_-out of her face allowing her a clear view of the castle courtyard, as she drifted across the large clean moat. It hadn't been her first trip to Castle Alexandria, but this one was special. She'd be staying. The King had asked for her specifically to join his private royal guard. She was an outstanding soldier; she'd be a fine addition. The boat docked and she stepped out and up onto the bleached stone steps and breathed in the sweet air that was thick with the scent of the flora and fauna that consumed the base of the castle. It was a glorious place. _

_One of her soon to be comrades lead her straight up to the castle the doors, made of the deepest black marble, littered with pearl and opal. That was when she first saw him in person. He was shaking the hand of the governor before he left. Her eyes widened as fire spread across her face. He stood a tall, sturdy man that didn't seem small or weighed down by all of the royal robes that in cased his body. A bit along in his years, his hair had completely lost all the blonde it once had, replaced by a strong white, not gray or silver and it was held in place by a tight, neat fish braid all the way to his mid back. His eyebrows were articulate and expressive, the small mustache connecting to a thin goatee equally white and not at all out of place on his angular chin. _

_But what caught the air in her lungs were his bold, defiant, hazel eyes. Though surrounded by age, you could see his spirit and soul, all of his passion. And when he turned them towards her, Beatrix's heart stopped._

She sighed a little, remembering the proud man that changed her life. Garnet looked mildly annoyed. "So, you loved him then?" Beatrix gave a small laugh.

"Certainly not! It was a small girl's crush created at first glance. But after that moment, I was very determined to become an outstanding knight so as not to misplace his faith."

* * *

**Author's Note: So, first chapter done. This is only going to be three to five chapters, depends on how I want to group all of this. I figured I should take a small break Resident Evil before I burn myself out. I picked this because I was replaying FFIX and I noticed that in the flashback where the King died, Beatrix was acting just as devistated as Garnet. Thought it was weird.. Also, I have no idea what the King's name is. If you let me know, I can change it.**

** R&R, please.  
**


	2. A Second Look

**Author's Note: Sorry about the wait, onto chapter two!**

**Summary: Beatrix continues her recollection, deepening the scandle.**

**Rating: Hasn't changed**

**

* * *

The Affiar**

Chapter Two: A Second Look

_By: Mazzie May_

**  
**Garnet huffed. _"Misplace his faith", ha! _her mind spat. Garnet was a reasonable girl, and she's always been understanding. Look at the trek she took with Zidane, after all; that was filled with so much total nonsense that she constantly considered hanging herself. But she endured to the end and now she had a whole kingdom to show for it.

But this… this was total rubbish. She even dared to call it _Bullshit, _and she hardly ever dared used vulgar _common_ words anymore (she hated it from day one, and giggled like a mad woman when she returned to court with _proper_ phrasing). She was so happy to be back at the castle, surrounded by structure and the sureness that all was right, and well, and nothing could make her return to the insanity of the outer world again.

The castle is safe.

The castle is crisp.

The castle is clean.

So, what _is_ this? What the _hell_ is this? Her wonderful safe haven was being destroyed – no, it already was destroyed; this had been going on for a long time._ Termites. Like termites, they ate away the underside and now I'm falling through the floor. _

She ran a hand through her hair, inhaling a deep breath, holding her head high, chin out, back straight. A very diplomatic way for a member of power to express their rage. Without moving her head she looked down at her father's journal. The man she had worshiped and respect and loved unconditionally in life and in death was doing this to her.

_Why? _She continued to look down at the book, wishing that words would appear and give her the answers she sought. _If this whole thing started back when Beatrix first came to the castle… that was before Mother changed. Back when we were happy. Daddy, why…_

Beatrix watched Garnet's face and felt an intense amount of pity. Her features were controlled, if not slightly strained, but the bewildered anger that had taken hold of her eyes showed true. Beatrix knew very well that Garnet had no liking for mistresses and secret lovers. That was the main reason the King left Beatrix to begin with; he didn't want to upset Garnet.

But that was a good while after their relationship began. She looked down at the old journal, the royal insignia worn and faded. She remembered it when it was still gold and new, that first time she saw it in the –

_- castle library, tucked into a nice space on the castle's right side. A connecting corridor from the castle's east wing was the only way to enter it. Three stories high it stood, its walls giant shelves lined from corner to corner with books. Staircases and ladders littered the gold and marble floor, cherry wood railings wrapping around in bizarre spirals heading upward. Enormous clear windows broke in between books in each wall on every floor, purple and gold velvet curtains dangling around them. White waxed candles sat in gold wall fixtures and in polished table holders. A truly glorious place._

_But this particular evening, as Beatrix strolled along the rows of master manuscript, the candles were lit and burning quietly. The place was empty, completely normal for this time of night, save for her and her King. She'd worked very hard over the last year, and was now captain of his personal guard. _

_He was seated comfortably behind his grand desk, reading one book while scribbling away in another. She smiled as his brow creased in concentration. He always worked so hard for his people. Unlike his wife… She frowned, turning away from her charge. Her Queen was acting so bizarrely, ever since she found that book. She'd lock herself away deep beneath the castle taking her trusted knight, Adelbert Steiner, with her. Whatever it was the Queen was experimenting with, it was affecting her greatly; her long dark hair was rapidly becoming a lighter, scraggly mop and her once fair skin was blotchy, almost green. She was quickly gaining weight as well. She certainly wasn't the prize she used to be._

_Beatrix sighed, running a long gloved finger down the binding of an old book about knights. Steiner… He was a good man, Adelbert. Always taking himself way too seriously, though. He was tall and strong, good with a sword, handsome, too. Of course he was the Queen's personal guard. But every so often, when the Queen demanded his presence in the castle's bowels, he came back just a little bit different than before. His eyes were becoming darker, and his coordination was off a bit, and was it just her or was he getting a bit shorter? _

_Beatrix was no fool to see that whatever dangers the Queen was playing with was putting both her and her knight at risk. It was shame, really. Everyone knew that Adelbert was fond of the young princess and even though those feelings weren't romantic, Beatrix was sure that the Captain would soon love the women Garnet would become. And the little princess seemed infatuated with him, so Beatrix wished them the best in the future. But at the rate things were going, the Queen's game could kill them both before Garnet reached her ninth year of breath. _

_Another sigh. The Queen had never been the kindest of people, but she was becoming a serious witch. And Beatrix could hardly stand the way she treated the King. The king was a wonderful, generous, caring, sincere, honest-_

"_Beatrix?" She spun about and half jogged out of the aisle back to the first floor open space. "Are you still here?"_

"_Yes, M'king." She weaved through the many tables to get to him. He'd moved from his desk to standing in front of one of large windows, gazing out at the stars. She came up behind him and to his right, her usual position. She could see in the mirror that was the window he was smiling softly, sadly. "Something troubling you, Sire?"_

"_I fear I must be honest with you, Beatrix." She tilted her head quizzically, her blonde pony tail of curls swishing a bit. "I've noticed something. You did a very good job of hiding it, I must admit. I was rather taken aback when I came upon it, myself."_

_She narrowed her eyes in question, not sure what he meant, but very sure she didn't like where he was going. "What is it you think you've discovered, Sire?"_

"_Your feelings for your king." Oh, _shit_. She knew she didn't like where this was going.Beatrix tensed; this was the sort of thing that caused good knights to meet the nooses. The king was a kind man, but if he disapproved that badly… well, her life was over._

_She had to be careful here, not just for her life, though. If she lost her knighthood and was banished from the castle, she'd rather take the execution than live with that shame. Than life without _him_. "…Sire, I –"_

"_I used to wonder, when you first came here. I'd catch you staring, you know?" He flicked his eyes to her reflection. "You got better at turning away before I caught your eyes, and I'd even begun to believe that whatever crush you'd had had died away." She was holding her breath. This was not good. "But when my Queen insulted me just a few days ago, I saw something spark beneath your eyes that gave this old man hope." Another soft smile._

_Wait, what? What was going on here? Hope? For what? "Sire, I… I'm afraid I'm not following." She reached up and touched her pony-tail, a nervous habit of her childhood that hadn't returned until now._

"_You never planed on telling me how you felt. And that's just as equally unfair!" He turned his bright eyes to her. "I used to think that Brahne would be the way she was and I'd grow used to it. I used to think that even if she didn't show it, she still loved me. And I still believe that." He let out a small sigh and looked up at the decorated ceiling. "But spending the last year with your company, in this library, out in the gardens, playing with my daughter, visits into the city, and beyond reminded me just how nice it was to care for someone, and have someone care for you in return."_

_Beatrix's jaw had dropped long before he finished his small speech. Oh, this was not happening. It wasn't, it wasn't – and he took her hand in his and continued smiling looking down at it. "That book I always carry?" The one he'd been writing in earlier. "Is filled with you."_

_Beatrix coughed. This was too much. She'd been perfectly content with watching him love his tyrantess of a wife, as long as she could just be near. She never even considered him returning her feelings, because she never planned on telling him. Her brain had completely shut down, and all she could manage was a weak "Oh."_

_He looked at her closely. "My knight, would you give me permission to address you by your birth name?" She thought she might faint. But, Beatrix was only her last name. _

"_Angelika, Sire. And yes…" She placed her other hand over his. "You may call me by it." _

"_I was hoping you wouldn't leave the castle for a long time, Angelika."_

"…_I'll stay as long as I may serve, M'king."_

"_Jarius, please. And…" he touched her hair, smiling, "Forever would be appropriate, I think."_

Beatrix felt a foolish girl's blush spread across her face as she finished recalling the tale. Steiner had long since turned away and Garnet was just sad. Because she understood her father's feelings. She would always love her mother, but she'd been so hard to deal with at times. Garnet had wanted to escape, too. It seems they both did, in their separate ways.

But… what was that part about she and Steiner…?

**

* * *

Author's Note: So sorry that took so long. Go sidetracked again. Anyway, now that I have my BETA situation all figured out, I'm on a more loyal writting schedule. This chapter was fun to write. I know Garnet seems slightly OOC, but there were points in the game that made me feel like she really missed castle life. Next chapter, a knight's vow.**

**R&R Please!**


End file.
